Network Systems Engineer

Piper Companies; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k)

PTO & Paid Holidays

Job summary

Zachary Piper Solutions is actively seeking a Network Systems Engineer for a large-scale federal IT environment in Norfolk, VA. This onsite role requires an active Secret clearance and DoD IAT Level II certification, with Cisco/Juniper vendor certs preferred.

You will patch, upgrade, and troubleshoot across a distributed network and collaborate with operations and automation teams. The position is fully onsite in Norfolk, VA five days a week.

Qualifications

• Active Secret clearance required.
• IAT Level II certification (DoD 8570/8140) required.
• Active vendor OS certs such as Cisco CCNA or Juniper JNCIA required.
• 5+ years hands-on network engineering in enterprise environments.
• Experience with Cisco Routers/Switches/Firewalls and VPNs.
• Experience with OSPF/EIGRP/BGP/MPLS and VLANs.

Responsibilities

• Perform vulnerability remediation, patching, and OS upgrades across enterprise network infrastructure.
• Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Cisco routers, switches, firewalls, and other network devices.
• Execute IOS upgrades, firmware updates, and config changes with minimal disruption.
• Provide Tier III troubleshooting for routing, switching, firewall, VPN, and connectivity issues.
• Support enterprise routing protocols and VLANs, IP addressing, and network security fundamentals.
• Develop and maintain network docs, SOPs, and implementation procedures.

Skills

Active Secret clearance

IAT Level II cert (DoD 8570/8140)

Cisco CCNA / Juniper JNCIA

5+ years network engineering

Network vulnerability remediation

TCP/IP, routing protocols

Tools

Ansible

Python

Job description

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Network Systems Engineer to support enterprise network infrastructure, vulnerability remediation, and network modernization initiatives for a large-scale federal IT environment in Norfolk, VA. The Network Systems Engineer will focus on network patching, Cisco IOS upgrades, routing and switching, and Tier III troubleshooting across a geographically distributed enterprise network. This individual will work closely with network operations, engineering, and automation teams to maintain network security, performance, and operational readiness. This position is fully onsite in Norfolk, VA, five days per week, and requires an active Secret clearance!

Responsibilities of the Network Systems Engineer

• Perform network vulnerability remediation, security patching, and operating system upgrades across enterprise network infrastructure
• Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Cisco routers, switches, firewalls, and other network appliances
• Execute Cisco IOS upgrades, firmware updates, and network configuration changes while minimizing operational disruption
• Provide Tier III network engineering support, troubleshooting complex routing, switching, firewall, VPN, and connectivity issues
• Support enterprise routing protocols including OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, and MPLS
• Configure and troubleshoot VLANs, network interfaces, IP addressing, and switching technologies
• Support firewall, VPN, and DMZ configurations across Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, and other network platforms
• Collaborate with network automation teams to streamline patching, configuration management, and vulnerability remediation processes
• Identify and resolve network vulnerabilities while supporting rapid deployment of security updates and infrastructure improvements
• Participate in daily network operations, engineering projects, incident resolution, and change management activities
• Develop and maintain network documentation, implementation procedures, and standard operating procedures
• Communicate technical issues, project progress, and remediation activities to engineering teams and stakeholders

Qualifications for the Network Systems Engineer

• Active Secret clearance
• Active DoD 8570/8140 IAT Level II certification, such as CompTIA Security+ CE, CySA+, or equivalent
• Active networking vendor operating system certification, such as Cisco CCNA, Juniper JNCIA, or equivalent
• 5+ years of hands‑on network engineering experience supporting operational enterprise networks
• Strong experience configuring and troubleshooting Cisco routers, switches, and network infrastructure
• Experience with enterprise routing and switching technologies including OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, MPLS, and VLANs
• Hands‑on experience with network patching, Cisco IOS upgrades, firmware updates, and vulnerability remediation
• Experience configuring and troubleshooting firewalls, VPNs, and DMZ environments
• Experience providing Tier III network troubleshooting, incident resolution, and technical escalation support
• Strong understanding of TCP/IP, subnetting, network interfaces, routing protocols, and network security fundamentals
• Experience supporting production network environments, change management, and infrastructure maintenance activities
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing technical priorities and support time‑sensitive network engineering initiatives

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced Cisco networking experience, including Cisco IOS configuration, upgrades, and troubleshooting
• Experience with Juniper, Palo Alto Networks, Brocade, or other enterprise networking platforms
• Experience supporting large‑scale, geographically distributed federal or DoD networks
• Familiarity with network automation technologies such as Ansible, Python, or Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
• Experience automating network patching, configuration changes, or vulnerability remediation workflows
• Experience with network vulnerability management, security compliance, and remediation tracking
• CCNP, JNCIS, or other advanced networking certifications
• Experience collaborating with network automation, security engineering, and Network Operations Center (NOC) teams

Compensation for the Network Systems Engineer includes

• Salary: $90,000 - $110,000
• Comprehensive Benefits Package including Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), PTO, and Paid Holidays

#LI-MM1 #LI-ONSITE

Keywords

Network Systems Engineer, Network Engineer, Network Infrastructure Engineer, Cisco Network Engineer, Network Security Engineer, Tier III Network Engineer, Network Patching, Vulnerability Remediation, Vulnerability Management, Cisco IOS, IOS Upgrades, Firmware Upgrades, Network Configuration, Cisco Routers, Cisco Switches, Cisco Networking, Routing, Switching, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, MPLS, VLANs, TCP/IP, Subnetting, Network Troubleshooting, Tier 3 Support, Firewall, VPN, DMZ, Juniper, Palo Alto Networks, Brocade, Network Automation, Ansible, Python, Infrastructure as Code, IaC, Network Operations, NOC, Change Management, Incident Management, Enterprise Networking, Network Security, CCNA, CCNP, JNCIA, JNCIS, CompTIA Security+, Security Plus, DoD 8570, DoD 8140, IAT Level II, Secret Clearance, DoD Secret, Norfolk VA, Virginia, Onsite Jobs